


This Broken House, These Distant Dreams

by ProdigySorcerer



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-03-08 17:43:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18899521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProdigySorcerer/pseuds/ProdigySorcerer
Summary: Warning spoilers for the last episode of Game of Thrones.After all is said and done, a prisoner is brought to the capital to see their new monarch, but is this simply to spill the last blood in a old feud or is it for something outside the normal ?





	1. Myrcella I

**Author's Note:**

> I've been wanting to write some Bran/Myrcella for a long time and now is as good a time as any.
> 
> I'm working from the last position of the characters in the books so Myrcella is still alive albeit scared by Darkstar, and I'm taking from the last episode the end positions of the characters (Bran as king, Tyrion as Hand, etc)

It was late in the afternoon when they finally came for me, I had assumed it was one of my serving girls, they were some of only a handful of people I interacted with since I’d been reduced to a prisoner of House Martell so many years ago, but instead it was a giant of a knight.

Well giantess, I knew her to be Ser Brienne of Tarth, one of the King’s Guard in service to the new and apparently permanent king, Bran the Broken.

Even sequestered in this tower as a political hostage I heard bits and pieces of the outrageous events taking place in the Seven Kingdoms, wars after wars, foreign invasions, men battling inhuman creatures, my family (such as they were) dying one after the other. 

So I knew of Brienne and of some of the other colorful characters who made up the survivors, I wouldn’t really call them winners, of the wars that had plagued Westeross after father’s passing.

She’s gawking at it, at the scar.

Most people do.

I absolutely loath being told that it’s such a shame ... that I would have turned out such a beauty now in the flower of my youth without Darkstar’s handy-work.

Ser Brienne, fortunately does not chose that subject of discussion instead informing me I have been summoned back to King’s Landing.

All these years somehow I always knew I would come back, it’s easy to stifle a laugh at the fact that it’s the same uncle, in the same position of Hand, just with such a different king.

...

The travel even by boat is long, and it caught me by absolute surprise that my knight finally spoke some words that weren’t absolutely required.

“I knew your father.”

“Which one ?” I tried not to let my bitterness at it all slip into my tone.

“... the knight.”

King beats knight, so she’s probably referring to Jaimie. 

Does she want us to spend the rest of the journey reminiscing about what a great man he was ?

“Looking back ... I never understood as a girl how hard being a King’s Guard really was.” I try to at least not make my continuation be about uncle Jaimie specifically.

“Depends on the king for the most part.” was Brienne’s reply, so simple but it came after what seemed like ages.

“I’ve known two kings, now I guess I will a third ... what is he like ?” I could scarcely remember Bran or anything at all from our visit at Winterfell, even if it was where everything began.

“He is no stag ... but also no dragon.”

“You mean he’s a wolf.”

Brienne doesn’t answer.

“You mean he’s a Stark ! ... Like Robb and Eddard were ?”

She’s looking away now.

I wonder if I try, am I fast enough to jump overboard ? Maybe the waves will be a better fate.

...

We arrive at King’s Landing, the city is so changed, I guess the rebuilding after the sack explains it all.

Historically speaking, the city was sacked by grandfather at the end of the rebellion, the city I grew up in wasn’t the true unblemished one as well.

There are children born right now for which this is the true King’s Landing.

The thought plays in my head as I’m taken to the Red Keep.

I don’t recognize it now.

I don’t recognize any of the courtiers either.

I do recognize the ceremony, the way the servants are running to and from that great hall, those massive doors guarded by so many sentries.

I will be brought before the king any moment now.

Back straight, keep a good posture.

Look right ahead, I have no scar to hide.

No fear, only fury, a stag rules all in it’s forest.

Or a lioness whatever I might be.


	2. Bran I

“Did I tell ya what I’m gonna do with my dragons ? ... The wage for this trip is going to be so large that I’m going to break my back carrying all those gold dragons ... ” the young sailor spoke excitedly and in a hurry.

“I wouldn’t start counting them just yet.” his elder finally deigned to reply as he was inspecting some of the sails.

“But I won’t be breaking my spine for long ‘cause I’m gonna go to Lys, and buy me a wife. The right sort of woman ya know, who has the right sort of training.”

“I knew ya to be daft boy but honestly how thickheaded can ya be ? We’re hauling the witch king’s cargo here, do you really think witch kings pay their minions ???”

“Now who’s the stupid one, he’s not some sorcerer waving his arms around and mumbling in tongues. He’s a blue seer, that’s what the Northeners call uhhmmm ”

“Witches, warlocks, call them whatever you want, he’s one of them and he’s wearing the crown. He could be swimming under this boat right now as a merling to make sure we’re doing this job right !!!”

...

I want to smile or laugh, but I have no lips.

So I slip out of the skin of the seagull that had been drifting above the sailor’s heads and back into my own body which sat upon the throne back in King’s Landing.

Were those the thoughts of the rest of the crew as well ? Were they really expecting to be given nothing at all upon completing their task ?

Or were those just the words of a bitter old man who had seen too many wars ?

The trees will know, they will remember that old sailor.

I grip the exposed weirwood of the throne, I’ll just have to follow the roots into ...

“Bran ? Dearest, you can’t take him hunting yet, no matter how much he pleads ... I swear I’ll kill Joff the next time ! Who in his right mind gives his nephew a crossbow and ... ”

I open my eyes, no not there I can’t go back there. 

If I linger there too long I’ll lose myself even more.

I don’t even realize how heavy I’m breathing until I focus my mind back in the present, Myrcella’s ship was doing well they will soon arrive and maybe then my sight will be mended.

...

I smirk a little as I watch her approach me, looking at her you’d think her family still held the throne, she’s taking her time walking the length of the hall as if to impress upon each and every courtier that no matter what she is still a princess.

I’m smirking as I’m annoyed at the time she’s wasting.

I don’t remember being annoyed when my sight was still unbroken ...

“... an audience.” I just now realize she had been speaking to me, or rather her intent was that my court would hear her being fearless.

Damn it was probably something witty. Was she the witty one ?

I look upon her face, a scar so not poison. Yes probably one of the smarter ones among her many selves.

“Approach” I try to keep my voice neutral.

Yes that did sound better and less threatening than “I need contact with your flesh for my powers to work”.

She takes the initiative and has the gall to extend her hand as if she was merely a lady and I a knight wishing a chaste kiss of her hand.

This will be easier, than I expected I think as I take her hand within mine and place my lips upon her slender fingers.

...

We are within the Red Keep in the old throne room, the light of the sun is everywhere and the air is heavy with the smell of summer flowers even here in King’s Landing.

The old hall is divided in two, half the room is filled with Stark and Tully banner-men while the other with Baratheon and Lannister supporters.

King Robert, older than he should have been with streaks of white in his hair but also slimmer bids me to come forward and kneel.

I do so, it is easy as my legs are not broken.

He places a sword upon my shoulders and begins the long speech to knight me in the name of the Seven.

I can’t help but sneak a peak at mother and father, both beaming with pride alongside them are Robb and Jon who are sporting the largest grins, as if anticipating the feast that will soon start.

As it it done and I rise, a flash of gold runs towards me from the Lannister side of the hall.

Myrcella jumps on me like a lioness on a rabbit, planting a deep kiss on my lips.

The hall is instantly filled with voices as Cersei begins protesting and Robert laughs at the whole spectacle.

...

Back in the present reality, a commotion is also happening.

“What was that ???” Myrcella is saying, no she is screaming “ What in the name of the Seven was that ???”

The guards would be too rough, they’re former soldiers not knights, I order Sam to take her away.

My Grand Master tries to comply but it takes time to remove her, a strength born of madness is no easy thing to overcome.

“Whatwasthat!!! You fucking cripple now you’re going to behead me in the courtyard ??? Not man enough to do it yourself !!!”

...

I would have given a few thousand golden dragons to have seen her expression when she realized she wasn’t being dragged to some executioner’s block but to a well furbished apartment.

Instead of that I had to endure another endless torrent of slurs and curses when I finally return to her presence.

“What now ?” is the question she would have asked if she still had any breadth left from the profanities. 

“There are things I cannot talk about in front of my court.” she is the daughter of a king and the sister of two more, she of course understands.

“Will you kill me ?” is the other deeper question I don’t need her to voice because it hangs between us.

“You would have been free ... if it had worked.” I say not bothering to hide the sadness in my voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter exposition ahoy, I prefer if Bran explains in character his powers to Myrcella thus explaining to us in the audience as well what the stakes are.
> 
> Though he is a difficult character to write with the expanded greensight, if you have any questions or places where you think the story is needesly ambigous comment and I will try to answer in a non-spoilery fashion.


	3. Myrcella II

“You would have been free ... if it had worked.” the sorcerer told me, visibly dejected his spell or whatever that waking dream heav... hell was, had failed in some way.

Well ...

Would have.

Should have.

Could have.

“I’ve seen ‘honored guests’ before ... you’ve come here so you may talk freely ” he nods “I ask you to tell me plainly why you need me here and what limits are imposed upon me ... in return I swear upon my life that your secrets will be my secrets.”

This was the best I could do, Bran has complete power over me, if I frame it as a trade, maybe I could setup some actual trades in the future, and gain something.

“You will be confined to the keep, your needs will be taken care of as befitting a lady of your station ” did he mean princess or a bastard “I ... will impose myself on you as least as possible and only as strictly necessary.”

“Necessary for what ?”

He licks his lips as if wanting to speak but not knowing the words, and I think I can see both shame and desire flashing across his face.

Oh by the Seven, he’s going to keep me as a sex slave or some such, forced to please him as a final twist of the knife for House Lannister for having dueled with his family.

I should have seen this coming, I read about how the Starks conquered and united the North.

“To repair my powers, mend my sight.”

“What powers ??? You forced that waking dream on me just fine ! What more do you want ? What more do you want to force upon me ???”

Bran’s giving me a look as if I’m the crazy one in the room.

Granted I am screaming these questions at the top of my lungs.

“It’s understandable, skin changing is much more rare in the south and green seeing even more so, the legends of us humans have left much out ” I can hear him trying to be patient and know that a explanation is coming but I just can’t stand him at this moment.

“I can will my spirit into an animal and control it” Joff spoke off Robb having that ability and using it to win battles but I always considered him an sore loser who was blaming fairy tales “because the spirit is not fixed ... I can also see the future albeit very rarely because my spirit is tied to neither here nor now ... and with the trees I can send my spirit into the past.”

What trees ? Is that why he has that throne of living weirwood ?

“But there is a final power, I only ever started exploring since after the war ... not what will happen ... not what did happen ... but what might have happened ?”

“So future, past and what ? ‘what might have happened’ ? ”

“Yes.”

It was a miracle nobody had tried to stab him yet, not for power or revenge but for being so damn smug and obfuscating everything.

“No, I mean what ? ... and I know you’re smart enough to explain it even to someone as uneducated in the arcane as me.” this was a little trick mother had taught me humble yourself a little and stroke their pride and men would do everything you wanted.

Bran looked to the window as if gathering his thoughts.

“What if Rhaegar won the rebellion ? What if Daenaerys had no dragons ? What if your mother had married my father ? What if we had all been born centuries in the future ? What if we were all older by 5 years ? What if we were all navigating among the stars ?”

“Those aren’t real ... they’re dreams, follies, plays mummers would act in. They’re nothing like the past you claim to be able to see or the future that is inevitable.”

“Is the Winterfell where we first met still real ? You can’t go there so it must be a dream as well ?”

“It doesn’t exist, but we still have our memories of it.”

“Dreams or memories are they really that different.”

I begin to speak but he rushes forward with his insanity.

“Now please, think of it like sailing ... I know where I want to go and I have the skill to get there, but it will never be up to just me ... the currents the winds they all play a part.”

This must be why he considers his powers broken, they’re not completely reliable.

“For some time, I find myself drifting from my course more and more often, always to the same ... place ?”

“The dream ? The one you forced upon me ?”

“Not exactly, many dreams many other worlds but all of them with only one common thread among them.”

“Me ?” I say and I swear I must sound like a frightened little girl.

“Yes, you’re always there playing a important role.”

“So we’re not always kissing ?”

“No ... ” he’s blushing “I realize it must have been surreal to see a double of yourself running to me and ... ”

“But I didn’t see that. There was no double, there was just me with thoughts and feeling not of my own .... I was putting my own arms around you ...”

His eyes betray his surprise and for the longest time he is silent.

“I usually merge with the other Bran in those other worlds ... I didn’t expect you to merge with your counterpart as well ... I need to consider this.” he makes to exit my room.

I move like a lioness and I’m blocking him.

“What does it mean ?”

“YOU THINK I KNOW ??? ... Do you have any idea how alone I am ? There is no one who can help !!! No maester, no father, no raven !!!”

“Not even the children ... no one alive has powers like these, no one in the memory of the trees has gone through this! There is only one thing I am certain off in this entire hell and that is that no one is coming to save me.”

Save him from what ? From losing his powers ? From keeping them ? 

From being king ?

He had been shouting all of this and trembling in his chair, for a few moments he seemed very much like his cousin Robin, but as his words lingered a certain calm returned to his features.

He pushed himself forward and I moved out of the way.

He was half out the door, when he slumped in his chair his back towards me but I could clearly seem him holding his head in his hands.

“I am alone in this ...” he repeated “ There is no one to help, I must get through this.”

We must get through this, I realize and correct him. But only in my thoughts, no sound escapes my lips.

Still as if he had heard me, he turns and glances back and as if with some new strength leaves.


End file.
